Nightmares and Fast Heartbeats
by cecilyp7
Summary: I sigh. We haven't tried exactly... Everything. I inhale and exhale slowly. Toph, this better work. I sit there quietly for a few moments, mapping out my little plan. I don't own Avatar, sadly.


**How I wish the Nightmares & Daydreams episode really went. Totally wrote this in an hour. In the middle of the night. I hate it when I'm trying to sleep and things like this come to me. **

**Like I said before, please feel free to suggest any other scenes that you want me to write in any character's POV. I love it!**

**This is strictly a one shot. I could write it in Aang's POV (or Toph's...) one day...If I feel like it. Or if requested desperately. **

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**Katara's POV**

"I just can't sleep! The nightmares just keep on getting worse, the daydreams are getting crazier, and not even the makeshift bed made out of koala-sheep wool will work!" Aang huffs, now walking around in frantic circles, occasionally throwing his hands in the air.

I roll my tired eyes, exhausted, and especially exhausted for him. Nothing is working, and tomorrow is the Invasion. And in Aang's condition, even with the Fire Lord completely incapable to bend, one swift flick to his arrow and he'll go tumbling down. I bring my fingers up to my temple and squeeze.

I feel my cheeks get warm in remembrance of what Toph told me yesterday during our little sauna break.

_"So, did your back massage work on him?" I ask, the steam making it almost hard to breathe._

_"No. He didn't even want to try acupuncture!" Toph says, bending the mud below her legs up and down for entertainment._

_"A relaxing day at the spa didn't work for him either." I say, bringing my fingers up to my chin. "I'm clean out of ideas!"_

_Toph snickers beside me, getting up on her feet._

_"What? Why are you laughing?" I ask, confused. "Aang in his state of mental and physical exhaustion is nothing to chuckle about!"_

_This makes her laugh even more. "Oh, I'm not laughing at Twinkletoes. I'm just laughing at the idea that came to mind."_

_"Oh? Care to share?" I say, not bothering to hide the annoyance ringing in my voice._

_"Well, if you insist. I think you should just kiss him." She says, casually leaning up against the rock wall._

_My eyes widen in shock. "What? Why would I do that? That's crazy!" I say, my voice shrilling, appalled she could even suggest such an outrageous idea._

_She shrugs. "I'm just sayin.' Maybe you kissing him will send him into a state of shock that will make him pass out. Ta Da! Sleep!" She waves her fingers enthusiastically._

_I huff in embarrassment over the entire conversation. "Well, that's just ridiculous. I'm ashamed you even suggested it, Toph. I wouldn't do that to Aang."_

_"I know." She says, bending an earth pillar beneath her feet to shoot herself up out of our sauna pit._

_"It's too bad really." She yells down at me. "I'm sure it would have worked. And from the speed of your heartbeat a few minutes ago, you surely would have liked it."_

_"Toph!" I gasp up at her. "Y-you're gonna get it!"_

I look over at Aang, who was now sitting at the edge of his little soft bed, his head in his hands. I sit beside him and wrap my arm around his shoulder.

"Aang, just lie down. Maybe if you just try..."

"I've tried everything! We've tried everything! There's nothing that will put my mind at ease!" He yells, his voice piercing the silent night air.

I sigh. We haven't tried exactly... Everything. I inhale and exhale slowly. Toph, this better work. I sit there quietly for a few moments, mapping out my little plan.

"Aang, I have an idea. But you have to lie down. And close your eyes." I say, biting my lip. He furrows his eyebrows in confusion at me.

"It won't work but, sure." He says, shutting his eyes. He flops onto his back, sprawling his arms out lazily.

"Alright, work your magic." He mumbles. I almost lost my composure at his question.

"Okay. Now, remember. Don't open your eyes. At all. Ever." I say, nervously chewing the inside of my cheek.

He impatiently sighs. "Alright..."

I lie down beside him, propping myself up with each arm on both sides of him. I lean my face over his, only a few inches apart. I see his eyelids flutter.

"Katara...what are you-?"

"Shh. Eyes closed." I interrupt, moving my face a little closer. I hear him swallow nervously.

I place my hand over his heart, which is beating furiously. He's nervous. He knows something's off. I inch my face even closer, his shallow and anxious breath on my cheek. His heartbeat accelerates.

"Uh...K-Katara? Can I open...?" He barely mutters out, his voice cracking.

"Shh…Just relax." I mumble, my lips brushing his cheek as I speak. I close my lips and kiss his right cheek, his heart thumping wildly underneath my fingertips. I lift my lips just briefly to place them back onto a different spot on his cheek, then again, and again. I trail kisses down his jawline, a few here and there on his neck, and one right under his ear. I gently re-adjust my hand on his chest. I am slightly afraid his heart was going to explode at the rate it was going.

I lean over to do the same with his left cheek, peppering small and lingering kisses up, down and across the entire left side of his face. Once I finish his cheeks, I lift my head up, bringing my forehead to collide with his. My breathing picks up, anxious about my next plan of attack. I steal a weary first look at Aang's facial expression.

Aang's eyes are clenched shut, afraid that if he were to open them, the moment would end. His hands are balled up, clenching the wool that was his bed tightly. His breathing is soft and shallow, nervous about the entire situation.

"C-can I-I..." He stutters, his eyelids twitching.

"Shh.." I whisper once more, and, with a swift movement of my head, I close the remaining gap between our lips.

The kiss is sweet, slow and mesmerizing. I bring my hands to both sides of his cheeks, pulling him in for more. His hands, which were clenched tightly only seconds ago, are now nested cozily in my brown hair, entangled in the strands. I hear him hum in pleasure at our kiss, sending shivers down my spine.

Reluctantly, I pull away, pecking his lips quickly and softly, letting the feeling from the initial kiss linger just a little bit longer.

I bring my body beside his and swing an arm over his chest. I nuzzle into the crook of his neck and sigh, drinking in the moment. He sighs dreamily and turns, our foreheads meeting. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling our bodies tightly together. I open my eyes and examine his face.

His eyes are still shut tightly together.

"Katara?" He whispers.

"Hmm?"

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"No. Go to sleep." I say, bringing a hand to his cheek to gently caress it.

He sighs. "Okay."

After a few short moments of pure silence and bliss, his once short and stressed out breaths turn into deep, relaxed ones. He is finally asleep.

I take a look at him once more, and I let out a quiet, airy laugh. A peaceful, yet goofy grin is plastered upon his face. I close my eyes, letting sleep slowly overtake me.

I couldn't tell if I were dreaming or not, but I swore at one point in the night, I heard the sound of slow, condescending clapping. Echoing from the direction of where Toph set up her earth tent for the night.


End file.
